2006 FREESTYLE TEAM BRIMS WITH DEPTH

By

May 11, 2005

2006 FREESTYLE TEAM BRIMS WITH DEPTH{mosimage}Three reigning world champions, two defending World Cup champions and three reigning Olympic medalists are just part of the unprecedented depth on the 38-member U.S. Freestyle Ski Team named for 2006. World Cup moguls and overall champion Jeremy Bloom (Loveland, CO) and aerials World Cup champion Jeret “Speedy” Peterson (Boise, ID) lead the American charge into the Olympic season.

Freestyle Program Director Polly-Jo Clark said the team includes seven 2002 Olympians among the 19 men and 18 women. Fourteen athletes have won World Cup contests.

Among the headliners on the men’s team for next season are two gold medalists from the 2005 World Championships moguls winner Nate Roberts (Park City, UT) and dual moguls champion Toby Dawson (Vail, CO). The men’s group also includes former Olympic, world and World Cup aerials champion Eric Bergoust (Missoula, MT), Olympic aerials silver medalist Joe Pack (Park City, UT), aerialist Ryan St. Onge (Steamboat Springs, CO), who won his first two World Cup events this past season and Olympic moguls silver medalist Travis Mayer (Steamboat Springs, CO).

The women’s team includes moguls world champ Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), Olympic moguls silver medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA), former World Cup duals champion Michelle Roark (Denver) and Jillian Vogtli (Ellicotville, NY), who won her first World Cup contest in February.

“This is a very strong U.S. Freestyle Ski Team,” Clark said. “Our athletes have proven they can contend for podiums week in and week out. We finished the last season with five of the top seven men in moguls and brought home the World Cup overall, moguls and aerials titles. Our athletes are extremely motivated and if everyone stays healthy, the coaches and I are optimistic about our chances at the Olympics as well as on the World Cup. This should be an exciting winter for all of us.”